For Catherine Owens

Political Debate Preparations

Shaimika JoneS

Waldorf University

Political Debate Preparations

The security of the people attending the debate, the politicians and finally, the television crews at the venue is paramount. Since the date and time for the debate has already been set it is the duty of the Atlanta Police Department to coordinate with the State and Federal law enforcement bodies in ensuring security. With over 260 acre of open terrain to secure, it will require as many hands and boots on the ground as possible. First consideration will be the inspection of the park and the amphitheater to ensure no weapons or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have been set prior to the debate. This will include the use of specially trained dogs, and metal detectors. Secondly, a day to the debate the park will be cornered off from the public allowing security personnel to conduct searches for any suspicious objects or devices. Thirdly, the Federal and State security agencies will be consulted on any rumors of plots to disrupt the debate by internal and external terrorist groups. The information will be used to ensure that all security personnel are vigilant if the debate cannot be postponed to another venue and date. Fourth, Atlanta’s elite SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) team will be positioned at strategic positions and vantage points to prevent any attack from within the crowd of spectators or from any distance. Fifth, the airspace around the park at a 100 mile radius will be closed and meticulously flying objects that can range from planes to drones. Finally, during the day of the debate all access to the park will be restricted to three entry points where the people will be screened for any weapon. Access to the amphitheater will receive the same screening to ensure that the highest level of security is present. Communication between all this agencies will be monitored from one point that will be undisclosed and unified to prevent confusion.

References

Blake, M. (2016). Crowd control: there's no shortage of risks to be managed during large outdoor public events. PM Network, 30(2), 6–8.

Connor, E. (2007). Planning and Managing Security for Major Special Events: Guidelines for Law Enforcement. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice.

Friedman, U. (2016). What If the Terrorists Are Already Here? The Atlantic. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/07/america-terrorism-national-security/489872/

Howell, K. (2016). Why is TSA screening people at political rallies? Circa.com. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from https://www.circa.com/story/2016/06/09/politics/why-is-tsa-screening-people-at-political-rallies

National Business Aviation Association. (2017). Temporary Flight Restrictions. Nbaa.org. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from https://www.nbaa.org/ops/airspace/alerts/notams/temporary-flight-restrictions.php

Nixon, R. (2017). T.S.A. Tests New Screening Procedures for Larger Electronics. Nytimes.com. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/us/politics/tsa-tests-x-ray-screening-procedures-for-larger-electronics.html

Priest, D., & Arkin, W. (2016). Monitoring America. The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/articles/monitoring-america/

Special Operations. (2017). Gwinnettcounty.com. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/portal/gwinnett/Departments/Police/Organization/OperationsBureau/Uniform/SpecialOperations

The IED Risk in the U.S. (2017). Tripwire.dhs.gov. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from https://tripwire.dhs.gov/IED/resources/jsp/loginPopup3.jsp

Uraizee, I., & Zhu, Y. (2017). Flight paths change dramatically when Donald Trump is in Palm Beach. Sun-Sentinel.com. Retrieved 8 August 2017, from http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/sfl-trump-airspace-restrictions-map-20170323-htmlstory.html